It happens every year. We get so involved in the warm, beautiful weather that we forget winter isn't done with us yet. Hard to believe I enjoyed a picnic outside yesterday because I woke up to 32 degrees this morning! Ugh. The silver lining? A cold day means soup and, since tonight is taco night here at the Hallman house, that means cream of black bean soup for lunch today.
I am funny about my soups. I like what I like and cream of black bean has been a favorite since I was pregnant with the middle-Little. I craved black beans when I was pregnant with my genius child. What's bizarre about this craving is that, up until then, I really didn't like beans at all. I kinda stumbled around the whole idea of cream of black bean soup and created basically what I'm making today. Fine tuning has happened over the past eleven years, but I have that smart middle-Little here to help me perfect my recipes. :o)
Peace, B.
I am funny about my soups. I like what I like and cream of black bean has been a favorite since I was pregnant with the middle-Little. I craved black beans when I was pregnant with my genius child. What's bizarre about this craving is that, up until then, I really didn't like beans at all. I kinda stumbled around the whole idea of cream of black bean soup and created basically what I'm making today. Fine tuning has happened over the past eleven years, but I have that smart middle-Little here to help me perfect my recipes. :o)
Peace, B.
You'll need about four cups of cooked black beans. You can use canned or dried beans, whatever your preference. (I quick soaked a pound of dried beans this morning. You'll get about six cups of cooked beans from a pound of dried. I am using two cups for refried black beans for taco night. If you wanted to use the full pound of beans for your soup, it would be fine.) If you use a can beans, three cans will do you. Just be sure to drain them!
*Heat two tablespoons vegetagle oil in a skillet. Saute one chopped medium onion, one chopped medium bell pepper, two minced cloves of garlic, and one minced jalepeno until onions are transluscent. Add one can of Rotel (I use mild, but whatever you like will do!) and the cooked beans.
Add two teaspoons cumin, one teaspoon chili, one teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne. Add four cups of chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth if you want to keep this a vegetarian meal!). Heat through.
Now, be sure that the everything is really well heated, y'all, because it's important to the next step!
Add as much of the soup to your food processor or blender as you can (I do mine in two batches) and puree. I like mine pretty smooth, but you make like it chunkier. The hotter the beans are, the easier they are to puree. Pour pureed soup back into soup pot (scrape down the sides of that food processor bowl with a spoonatula if you need to!) and add one cup of half and half. Stir to mix well. Heat on medium low for another 20 minutes.
You could add some shredded chicken to the soup if you want to make this a more substantial meal, but I only do this when I have some extra chicken. It's plenty hearty on without the chicken.
Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips or tortilla strips*, and pico de gallo. I like this even better the second day.
*I cut flour tortillas into strips and fry them in the skillet before I saute my veggies. Just takes a few seconds and I love, love, love these in my soup!
*Heat two tablespoons vegetagle oil in a skillet. Saute one chopped medium onion, one chopped medium bell pepper, two minced cloves of garlic, and one minced jalepeno until onions are transluscent. Add one can of Rotel (I use mild, but whatever you like will do!) and the cooked beans.
Add two teaspoons cumin, one teaspoon chili, one teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne. Add four cups of chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth if you want to keep this a vegetarian meal!). Heat through.
Now, be sure that the everything is really well heated, y'all, because it's important to the next step!
Add as much of the soup to your food processor or blender as you can (I do mine in two batches) and puree. I like mine pretty smooth, but you make like it chunkier. The hotter the beans are, the easier they are to puree. Pour pureed soup back into soup pot (scrape down the sides of that food processor bowl with a spoonatula if you need to!) and add one cup of half and half. Stir to mix well. Heat on medium low for another 20 minutes.
You could add some shredded chicken to the soup if you want to make this a more substantial meal, but I only do this when I have some extra chicken. It's plenty hearty on without the chicken.
Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips or tortilla strips*, and pico de gallo. I like this even better the second day.
*I cut flour tortillas into strips and fry them in the skillet before I saute my veggies. Just takes a few seconds and I love, love, love these in my soup!
Serves four to six with plenty of leftovers.
Cost per serving: 66 cents to $1
Cost per serving: 66 cents to $1
